MOUNTAIN VIEW — The annual Bridger Valley Bowl, a hard-fought battle between the neighboring Lyman Eagles and Mountain View Buffalos, brought a thrilling end to the regular season Friday afternoon. Mountain View clinched a 20-6 victory over Lyman, securing the top seed in the 2A West and keeping their deep postseason hopes alive as they prepare to host Wheatland next week. The win capped off an 8-1 season for the Buffalos, while Lyman’s season concluded at 2-7, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
The Eagles struck first after a defensive standoff in the opening quarter. Quarterback Jevin Maxfield broke through with a 7-yard rushing touchdown, giving Lyman a 6-0 lead with 11:19 remaining in the second quarter. Lyman’s defense stepped up to protect that lead, effectively stifling Mountain View’s offense and limiting them to just 16 yards on 16 plays in the first half while the Eagles gained over 100 yards on the ground. By halftime, Lyman’s defensive presence held firm, keeping the Buffalos scoreless.
The defensive intensity continued into the third quarter, with Lyman once again holding Mountain View’s offense in check, allowing under 20 yards. But in the fourth quarter, the Buffalos found their rhythm and seized control. Quarterback Justus Platts punched in his first touchdown of the night on a 5-yard run, giving them the lead at 7-6 with just over ten minutes left in the game.
Mountain View’s defense stepped up with a crucial stop to give the Buffalos possession once again. On the ensuing drive, Platts found an opening and dashed 23 yards for another touchdown, pushing Mountain View ahead 14-6 with under five minutes left. With time winding down, Lyman was forced to go to the air, but Buffalos’ defender Race Carr intercepted a pass, setting up another scoring opportunity. Platts capitalized with one final touchdown on the ground, solidifying the Buffalos’ 20-6 lead. Carr sealed the game with his second interception of the quarter, securing the Bridger Valley Bowl title for Mountain View.
For the Eagles, Maxfield was the offensive standout, carrying the ball 29 times for 71 yards and one touchdown. Ben Blumel contributed 37 yards on 11 carries, while Timber Vangieson added 38 yards on four attempts, and Gage Bradshaw chipped in 16 yards on four carries. Lyman struggled in the passing game, going 0-for-4 with two interceptions. The Eagles finished with a total of 164 rushing yards.
Mountain View’s star quarterback Platts led his team to victory with 187 rushing yards on 20 carries, crossing into the end zone three times in the fourth quarter. Brendon Walker added 5 yards on three carries, as the Buffalos ended the night with 192 yards on the ground and 208 total offensive yards.
With the victory, Mountain View secures the top seed in the 2A West, ensuring they’ll have home-field advantage in the playoffs starting next week against Wheatland.
Congratulations to the Eagles on a fun and exciting season!
